Annual Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

On the most beautiful sunny day of the year so far, our neighbor's congregated to the park in the middle of the 'hood to partake of our annual Easter egg hunt.

This yearly tradition has always been a favorite of our kids. The boys were four and two when we first moved into this neighborhood...the perfect ages for a fun egg hunt. Now, Nolan searched for the candy filled eggs for the last time (sniff) because the cut off age is 6th grade.
Here are the anxious hunters learning the rules for how many eggs they are allowed to collect and in which areas of the park they get to search.

We met a new neighbor. So cute! I've never seen a bunny on a leash before. Connor and I felt kind of bad because we seemed more interested in meeting this furry guy than we did it's owner. Oops. :)

Here's Nolan with a couple of his buddies... Alex and Jacob, waiting patiently for the instructions. (I just have to mention that Alex came equipped with "Crown Royal" purple velvet bag to collect his eggs. I'm gonna have to tease his parents next time I see them.)

Each of the thousands of eggs either contained candy or a surprise token that allowed the recipient to choose a prize at the end. I think there were enough prizes for EVERY kid to go home a winner. So fun!

Yes... there was actually an egg perched carefully on that cement wall right where my sweet neighbor, Jordyn, is standing. I thought for sure it would have a prize token in it, but nope... just a few jelly beans. Kind of lame for having to risk falling into the drink!

This is my friend/neighbor Cyndie. She's got three boys so we understand each other pretty well. :)

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It was such a lovely day! So nice to be outside, seeing neighbors that have all been hidden inside their homes during this nasty, cold, and ridiculously wet winter!

Hope you all had a very Happy Easter!

You can teach an old dog a new trick!

Getting older is no fun. I see it every day at work when people come in with new ailments attributed to their aging bodies. (Take your calcium people... take it when your young! :))

It's so true that our bodies just can't keep up like they used to when we were young and spry. Even at the ripe old age of 39 I'm a little hesitant to partake in some activities because I'm afraid I'll pull a muscle or break something. Lame! I'm currently going to the gym regularly in hopes to get my body in better shape so I don't have to be so cautious.

My husband has a theory on growing older. He notices that as people age they have a tendency to spiral into ever smaller circles of activity and experiences. Over time, people get comfortable doing the same routines and are much more resistant to change. Trying a new experience or learning a new or difficult skill seems too daunting and therefore people avoid them all together. Pretty soon you find yourself sitting in the Lazy boy recliner doing crosswords in front of the television rather than taking a new class or venturing outside to see a new sight.

I hate to say that I can see myself on the way to the Lazy Boy recliner... I need to broaden my horizons and try something new. But Connor? He's bucking the system!

Yup, that's right... My "older than me husband" has decided to take on a new venture that has always appealed to him. He signed up for Scuba Diving lessons and for that I am so proud! He has the gear he needs and will be participating in several lessons that will grant him the Scuba certification he has always dreamt about. How cool is that?!

I hope he has a blast with this new experience. I'm sure he will see some amazing new things under the deep blue sea that he will be able to share with us. Who knows...maybe I'll be the next one signing up for Scuba lessons? Or maybe I'll just stay on the shore, perhaps Hula lessons are in my future? :)

Cooking 101

My boys love to eat. They have absolutely no problem mowing down on whatever is cooked for them each day. Well, except for mushrooms... They both HATE mushrooms and I'm not gonna fight them on that because I LOVE mushrooms and that just means more for me! :)

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However, neither one of them has had a whole lotta time spent in the kitchen actually preparing any meals. Don't get me wrong, they have mastered the toaster, can operate the microwave with flair, and Nick can whip up a mean batch of top ramen from time to time. But if you asked them to saute a veggie or bake a cake I think you would not be pleased with the outcome. So starting last month, we've decided to have each kid cook one dinner per month. From start to finish... This includes choosing a new recipe that appeals to them, making sure we have all of the ingredients, preparing the meal and sharing it with the entire family.

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Nick went first a couple of weeks ago. He chose to make pasta in Alfredo sauce, crescent rolls, and green beans. Now since I rarely make homemade Alfredo sauce I thought it was only fair to let him use the jarred type too. Besides it was his first meal and I thought we should stick to something rather easy. .

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He quickly learned that timing is one of the hardest parts to making a meal come together. But he did an awesome job. Everything was ready at the same time and cooked to perfection! I was in the family room in case he had any questions but told him that my rear was going to stay planted on the couch. I wanted him to do EVERYTHING and by doing so I think he was even more proud of the outcome.

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So meal number one was a success! Nolan is up for his cooking day in just a week or two. He says he already knows what he's going to make. I'm liking this little cooking experiment/lesson so far. I think it's important for everyone to know how to cook. Their future wives will thank me and I have to admit I'm liking the fact that I get a night off from cooking! :)